Turkey says Mecca pact committee to meet in Riyadh on October 5

A committee ​of the Mecca defence pact ​between Turkey, Saudi ‌Arabia ​and Pakistan will hold talks in Riyadh on Monday, with Turkish ‌ministers among those attending, the Turkish foreign ministry said on Sunday. The leader of Yemen's Saudi-backed government announced on Sunday ‌the beginning of a major military operation against ‌the Iran-backed Houthis earlier on Sunday, aimed at seizing the territory under their control.

Pakistan's foreign minister said on Friday that Iran ⁠had suggested ​engaging Yemen's ⁠Houthis politically after attacks by the group, an idea that the ⁠Mecca defence pact committee would discuss at a meeting in ​Riyadh this week. "The meeting will address recent developments ⁠in the region and the stage reached in the Alliance’s ⁠institutionalisation efforts," ​the Turkish statement said.

It said Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, Defence Minister Yasar Guler and chief ⁠of the general staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu would attend the ⁠meeting ⁠of the pact's strategic political and defence committee, along with officials from Pakistan and Saudi ‌Arabia.